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With today's shooting in Conyers, Georgia, school violence is once
again a front-page concern. As students, parents, dministrators,
and policymakers continue to wrestle with the issues associated with school
safety, one of the most important tasks to retain a foundation in fact.
How prevalent is violent death associated with schools? The National School Safety Center in California has compiled a grim but useful resource, the "School Associated Violent Deaths Report, " which provides a comprehensive portrait of the nature and scope of these tragedies.
The Report defines a school-associated violent death as "any homicide, suicide, or weapons-related violent death in the United States in which the fatal injury occurred: . on the property of a functioning public, private or parochial elementary or secondary school, Kindergarten through grade 12, (including alternative schools); . on the way to or from regular sessions at such a school; . while person was attending or was on the way to or from an official school-sponsored event; . as obvious direct result of school incident/s, function/s or activities, whether on or off school bus/vehicle or school property." It covers "all reported school associated violent deaths that the National School Safety Center knows of from the 1992-1993 School year to present," up to and including the deaths at Columbine High School last month. The report lists: * school name and population * the victim's name, age, gender * the method, reason, and location of their death * a short description of the incident The report also features useful cumulative tables summarizing this information.
No one wants to read this information, but knowing the basic facts can help parents, teachers, and young people put a stop to rumors and place these terrible events in a more useful context for trying to find long-term solutions.
The Report is available as a PDF file at this address:
National School Safety Center School Associated Violent Deaths Report
http://www.nssc1.org/home.htm
From: YFJ Net News - May 20, 1999 - Special School Violence Supplement, Nisan Chavkin, Constitutional Rights Foundation, Chicago IL
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